Middle English Literature

Of the ordinaunce of the maner of hundyng whan the kyng wil hunt in foreste
or in parke for the herte with bowes, grey-houndes, and stable.
22
The maister of the game shuld be accorded with the maistir forster or
parker wheder that it be where the kyng shal huntt soche a day and, if the
sette
23
be wide, the forsaid forster or parker shuld warne the shiref of the
shire that the huntyng shuld be inne for to ordeyne stable suffisaunt and
cartis eke for to brynge the deer that shuld be slayn to the place where as
quyrreis
24
at huntyngges have ben acustomed to be, and than he shuld
warne the hunters and feutreres
25
whider thei shuld commen. And the
forster shuld have men redely there to mete with hem that the gon no
ferther ne strangle
26
not about for drede lest thei fray
27
the game or the
16
be let slip.
17
for the first time.
18
Attendants in charge of hounds.
19
small flaps.
20
knife.
21
apart.
22
Greyhounds were several breeds of dogs used for hunting; stable were stations of hunters and
hounds around the park for relaying after the prey and to serve as a perimeter to turn it back.
23
Area in a forest around which stables or stations of men and hounds have been placed.
24
Curées, the rituals of giving the hounds their rewards, named after the parts of the deer
given to the dogs and the collection of game killed.
25
Handlers who care for and manage the hounds.
26
straggle.
27
frighten.
The Hunt
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Style and Spectacle
kyng come. And if the huntyng shal be in a park, alle men shuld abide atte
park gate sauf the stable that oweth to be sette or the kyng come, and thei
shuld be sett bi the parkers or forsteres. And the mornyng erly the mayster
of the game shuld be at wode to se that alle be redy, and he or his
lieuetenaunte or which of the hunters that hym lust, oweth to sette the
greihound and ho so be tesours
28
to the kyng or to the quene or to ther
lesshes.
29
As oft as eny hert commeth, he shal, whan he passed, blow a moot
and rechace, and lette hem after to teise it forth. And if it be a stag, he
shalle late passe as I saide and relie
30
for to make the fowtreres avised what
commeth out. And to lasse deer ne shud no wight renne . . . And than the
maister forstere or parker oweth to shewe hym the kyngges stond and if
the kyng wold stonde with his bowe and where al the remenaunt of the
bowes shuld stond, and the yemen for the kynges bowe owen to be ther to
kepe and make the kyngges stondyng and abide ther without noyse to the
kyng come. And the gromys that kepyn the kynges dogges and chastised
greihoundes
31
shuld be ther with hym for thei longen to the yemens office.
And also the mayster of the game shuld be enfourmed by the forster or
parker what game the kyng fyndeth with inne the sette and, whan alle this
is do, than shuld the maister of the game worthe
32
upon hors and mete with
the kyng and brynge hym to his stondyng and telle hym what game is with
inne the sett and how the greihoundes ben sett and eke the stable and also
to telle hym wheder he be bettir to stond with his bow or with the
greihoundes, for it is wit that the les
33
of his chamber and of the quenes
shuld be best sette. And ther twey fewtreres owyn to make faire logges of
grene bowes at her trestes
34
for to kepe the kyng and the quene and the
ladies and gentil women and eke the greyhoundes fro the sonne and fro evil
wedir. And whan the kyng is at his stondyng or at his trist, wheder that hym
be levir, and that the maister of his game or his lieftenaunt have sette the
bowys and assigned who shal lede the quene to hur trist, than he shal blow
three long moote to the uncouplyng . . . And than shuld the eirere
35
uncou-
ple his houndes and blow three moot, and seke forth, saying loude and
longely, “Ho sto, ho sto, moun amy, ho sto.” And if thei drawe fer from
28
Small dogs that tease out game.
29
Sets of three hounds.
30
rally.
31
Trained hounds.
32
mount.
33
A set of three hounds.
34
Stations where hunters await the game.
35
Harrier, a handler of smaller dogs also for hunting deer.

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hym rebelly,
36
he shuld say to hem in that caas as whan he seketh for the
hare . . . [A]nd if it be an hert and eny of the hert houndes mete withal, thei
shul blow a moot and rechase, and relay and go forthe therwith, al rechasyng
among and, if it come to bowes or to greihoundes and be dede, he shuld
blow the deeth whan he is commen thider and reward his houndes a litel
and couple hem up and go agein to his place . . . And whan the rascaile
37
is
thus voided, than ben the hert houndes uncoupled, and thei fynde the grete
olde wily deer that wil not lightly voide, and thei enchace hem wel and
lustely, and make hem voide both to bowes and to grei-houndes so that
thei do here devoire
38
at fulle. And alle the while that the huntyng lasteth
shal cartis go about fro place to place to bryng the deer to the quyrre and
ther lay it on a rewe, all the hedes oo way and every deres fete to other bak.
And the hertes shuld be laide on a rowe or two or three after that thei be
many or fewe, and the rascaile in the same wise bi hemself, and thei shuld
kepe that no man come with inne the quyrre to the kyng come, save the
maister of the game. And whan the coverte is wele sought and voided that
was ther inne, than shuld the maister of the game come to the kyng to wit
if he will eny more hunt . . . And if the kyng wil hunt no more, than shuld
the maister of his game, if the kyng wil not blow, blow a moot and strake
39
with a mote in the myddel, and the sergeaunt or who so bloweth next hym,
ne non man ellis, shuld blow the first moot – the myddel – and so every
man as oft as hym lust to strake if thei have had that thei hunted fore, and
ellis the myddel moot shuld not be blowe save of hym that blowethe next
the maister, and therbi may a man wit as thei here men strake homward
wher thei han wel-spedde or none. And this maner of strakyng shuld serve
in wise as I have rehersed for alle huntynges save whan the hert is slayn with
strength. And whan the mote is blow and strake, than shuld the maister of
the game lede the kyng to the quirre and shewe it hym, and no man as is
said aboven shuld come with inne it but every man with out it. And than
shuld the kyng telle the maister of the game what dere he wold were then
40
and to whom and, if the kyng list abide, he may. Natheless, he is wouned
41
whan that he thus hath don to go home.
36
rebelliously.
37
Younger deer or other animal that is not the principal object of the chase.
38
duty.
39
A distinct set of notes.
40
thence, i.e., given.
41
accustomed.
The Hunt
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204
Style and Spectacle